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Elementary Physics Laboratory II | TIJ-1

National Institute of Physics, University of the Philippines Diliman
3-10 March 2015
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Analysis and Calculation of Magnetic Field Due to a Solenoid and its

Relationship to the Current and Number of Turns per Unit Length
1

Phillip Eleazar Aguilar , Charles Angelo Sarabosing , Lyka Selene Magnayi

1 Undergraduate of BS Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, UPD

2 Undergraduate of BS Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, UPD
3 Undergraduate of BS Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, UPD

Abstract
This technical paper mainly talks about the concepts and methodologies on how
a magnetic field is produced due to a solenoid and its relationship with the
current passing through the solenoid (I) and the number of turns per unit length
of the solenoid (n). Experimental procedures were conducted to determine and
analyze these relationships. Mapping magnetic field lines from a bar magnet
were also conducted for the confirmation and comparison of the direction of
magnetic field lines. Using graphical analysis of the experimental data which was
found out to exhibit linear regression, we verified that magnetic field strength (B)
is directly proportional to n and I. We also calculated the experimental value for
the permeability constant () from the slope of the linear trendline and compared
it to the theoretical value for comparison.

1. Introduction
Current carrying, single and long coils of wire are used to generate a magnetic field. These types of looped
wires are called solenoids, whose properties are closely similar to that of a bar magnet. It is used as an
alternative for accurately measuring the amount of magnetic field strength over a given area. This set-up is
useful especially in determining the relationship of magnetic field with the current and the loops physical
properties such as the number of turns per unit length.
Magnetic field is produced when current is present and flows along a conductor. The orientation and
physical properties of the conductor is also necessary in determining the magnitude and direction of magnetic
field. In the case of a solenoid where loops of wires serve as conductors, the field is perpendicular where the
turns and field increases simultaneously. In a solenoid, the field is also dependent on the number of turns per
unit length (n = N/L), the current (I) passing through it and the permeability of the core material ().
From the conditions above, the strength of magnetic field is given by:
B = I*(N/L)
-7
where is equal to 4 x 10 Tm/A when the material inside the solenoid is vacuum.
Aside from finding the relationships between the given variables, the goal of this experiment is to calculate
the experimental value of the permeability constant and assess the possible sources of errors during the
experiment. We also performed this with our learning to fully understand the concepts behind magnetism and
its properties thats why the conduction of this experiment was made possible.

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Elementary Physics Laboratory II | TIJ-1

National Institute of Physics, University of the Philippines Diliman
3-10 March 2015
_______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Methodology
The experimental procedure was conducted to determine and prove the relationship of magnetic field
strength and the variables that influence it. On the first set-up (Experiment A), a slinky was used as the
conducting wire and incorporated with a meter stick and the PASCO DC power supply to form a circuit and
construct a solenoid.
Experiment A Finding the Magnetic Field inside a Solenoid
The slinky was taped on both sides of a meter stick to for the experimental set-up. Using the Vernier
LabQuest 2.0 and Vernier magnetic field sensor, the necessary variables will be observed. The sensor was
set to 6.4 mT and the duration for data collection was from 0 to 10 seconds. After the circuit set-up was made,
the power supply was then set to 2.0 A, making sure that the slinky is far from the power supply to minimize
the possible interference of errors. The sensor was placed in the middle of the slinky with a bent tip and the
white dot of the sensor was oriented in the solenoids cross section. While pressing the collect button of the
LabQuest, the sensor was being rotated on its axis and. This method is done to determine the orientation of
the magnetic field (the one with the most positive reading). The power supply was turned off and the meter
screen was set to zero for the next data collection. The Mean value from the Analyze-Statistics menu will give
the value for the magnetic field strength.
Experiment B Magnetic Field and Current
The magnetic field sensor was again placed on
the middle of the slinky. The current from the power
supply was adjusted to 0.5 A, with 0.5 increments, up
to 2.5 A. The same method was applied from the last
two steps of the previous experiment. Finally, the
number of turns were counted and treated turns that
stick together as only one.
Experiment C Magnetic Field and Turns per
Length
The slinky was stretched from 0.25 m, with 0.25
increments up to 1.25 m. The sensor was again
placed on its middle portion and the turns were noted
as done on experiment B. The last two steps of the
first experiments were applied but with constant
current of 1.5 A.

Source:
http://physics.ham.miamioh.edu/LabPages/imag
es/slinky%20figure%201.GIF

Figure 1. Illustration of the Experimetal set-up (Solenoid)

Experiment D Magnetic field mapping using bar magnets

Bar magnets were used to trace and determine the direction of magnetic field lines that was being
compared to the direction that was experimentally observed. Using a compass and magnetic field pattern
window, magnetic field lines were mapped from different combinations of bar magnets. Another setup was
done using the slinky. The conducting wire (slinky) with 0.50m length was induced by a constant current of
2.0A and analyzed the direction of the field lines using a compass.

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Elementary Physics Laboratory II | TIJ-1

National Institute of Physics, University of the Philippines Diliman
3-10 March 2015
_______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Results and Discussions

The data gathered were tabulated and are shown in Table 1 and Table 2. Table 1 shows the relationship
between magnetic field strength and current flowing through the solenoid at a constant length. While, Table 2
shows the relationship of magnetic field strength and turns per unit length of a solenoid at a constant current.
Table 1. The measured magnetic field strength as
the flowing current changes in a constant
length of solenoid

Current, I (A)
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5

Table 2. The measured magnetic field strength and number of turns per unit
length as the length of the solenoid changes at a constant current

Number of
turns, N
76
78
79
79
79

Length, L (m)

B (mT)
0.058
0.105
0.160
0.212
0.268

0.25
0.50
Table
0.75
1.0
1.25

Turns per unit

-1
length, n (m )
304
156
105.333
79
63.2

B (mT)
0.687
0.353
0.234
0.170
0.115

0.3

Magnetic field strength in millitesla

(mT)

Magnetic field strength in millitesla

(mT)

By observation, it can be seen in Table 1 that the magnetic field strength increases as the current
increases. In Table 2, the magnetic field decreases as the length of the solenoid increases which in turn
decreases the number of turns per unit length n. These data are then plotted in order to graphically analyze
their relationships as shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3, corresponding to the data of Table 1 and Table 2.

0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1

y = 0.1054x + 0.0025
R = 0.9992

0.05
0
0

0.5

1.5

2.5

0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0

y = 0.0023x - 0.0187
R = 0.9984
0

100

200

300

400

Number of turns per unit length of the solenoid

Current passing through solenoid in Amperes (A)

Figure 2. Magnetic field strength vs. current through

the solenoid

Figure 3. Magnetic field strength vs. number of

turns per unit length of the solenoid

In the experiment the theoretical orientation of the magnetic field was observed using bar magnets and the
solenoid set-up.The sketches provided in Figure 4 and Figure 5 show the observed magnetic field lines with
their corresponding set-ups.

(a)

(b)
Sources:

(a) http://ahendricks.blogs.ccps.us/,
(b) http://physics.ham.miamioh.edu/

Figure 4. Sketches (to scale) of magnetic field lines of (a) large bar magnet and (b) slinky.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________

Elementary Physics Laboratory II | TIJ-1

National Institute of Physics, University of the Philippines Diliman
3-10 March 2015
_______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(b)

(a)

Source: http://ahendricks.blogs.ccps.us/

Figure 5. Sketches (to scale) of magnetic field lines of two small bar magnets aligned and connected at (a)
North and South and (b) South and South.

It is also important to take note that the data gathered may have an error that is attributed to the
fluctuations in the magnitude of the current in the power supply while we are doing the experiment.

4. Conclusions
In this experiment, we noticed that the directions of the magnetic field lines of a bar magnet is leaving south
and entering north. Same with the solenoid, the orientation for magnetic field lines directed inwards north and
outwards south.
Magnetic field strength and current has a linear relationship with equation y=0.1054x +0.0025. Its yintercept designates the magnetic field strength when current is equal to zero and its increasing slope indicates
the direct relationship of the two variables. On the other hand, magnetic field strength and number of turns per
unit length of the solenoid also has linear relationship with equation y=0.0023x - 0.0187. Like in magnetic field
strength vs current relationship, its increasing slope indicates the direct relationship of the two variables.
At constant current of 2.0 A, mean magnetic field strength (B) of 0.1054 mT which is the slope of the
equation of magnetic field strength vs current, and turns per unit length (n) 79 N/m, we will get the permeability
constant which is equated to B/n = 1.33 E-6 Tm/A, and the percent deviation from the theoretical is 6%.

References
1. National Institute of Physics, Sources of Magnetic Field, Physics 72.1 Laboraoty Manual, pp 3-6, 2013
2. Young, H. et al, University Phyiscs 12th ed., Chapter 28, Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., USA, 2007
3. "Solenoids as Magnetic Field Sources," Hyperphysics, retrieved from http://hyperphysics.phyastr.gsu.edu/hbase/magnetic/solenoid.html
4. Massachussets Institute of Technology, "Sources of Magnetic Field," retrieved from
http://web.mit.edu/8.02t/www/802TEAL3D/visualizations/coursenotes/modules/guide09.pdf

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Elementary Physics Laboratory II | TIJ-1

National Institute of Physics, University of the Philippines Diliman
3-10 March 2015
_______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________